YOU KNOW IT, WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE SHIT.

Don't worry~ It's not a post to dress ugly people down.
It's a post to help boys and girls save money! =D

When i was 17, i look like shit. No pictures to show, if you're not convinced becox i look quite decent now (SHUTUP I DONT CARE WHAT YOU THINK) and plus you're free enough, go check out my archives. Haha. I LOOKED LIKE SHIT.

But I thought i was chio. And i head out very often. Eat Long John Silver also must eat in town area. It just seemed more cool. Lol. I know you know what i mean right.. Haha!

And please don't say that i am also thinking that i am very chio now but will come to realise in five years time that i'm actually ugly. I am an adult now, i don't make visual mistakes like this anymore. HAHAHA!

Anyway, to get to town area, young girls like me back then have to get pass this area of SELF-DOUBT and SELF-WORTHY area. This area is right there once you step out of Orchard MRT.

"Hi! I'm from XXX models"

"Would you be keen in modeling?"

"You are very tall! Are you a model?"

"We're looking for models for an advertisement"

"We have a modeling assignment now that needs girls like you"

"Are you local? Becox you look like Eurasian/ Korean/ Japanese/ Taiwanese"

"Don't worry, not all models need to be tall, you are not very tall but you got the look for print-ads"

And in your heart, you start asking yourself, "Oh wow.. I'm really that good? How can i be that good? Or maybe i am that good? Bleah, it's not possible.. Well, maybe it is?"

GIRLS, C'MON, you know what you look like. If you're pretty, good for you, don't be flattered by random folk running after you on the street telling you you are pretty. If you're pretty, be confident, you don't need to buy this shit, just tell the bugger,

"YEAH I KNOW, i am as perfect as you say. Why do i need you then?"

AND WALK AWAY.

Trust me, the poor dude will not chase after you even if you have the talent and caliber of a TOPESTEST SUPEREST model.

Why? Simply becox these fuckers are not out for talent-hunting. They are out for the weak-minded girls and boys with MONEY. In short, they are out for whoever has the MONEY.

And if you're not that good looking, YOU KNOW IT. Okay. Yeah all the stories about ugly-duckling to beautiful swan, chubby pig to pork ribs, whatever. It will happen if you work on it. Buying cosmetics and plastic surgeries will do the job but buying compliments won't bring you there. It'd just make you more insecure than you could ever be.

I am going to bring you through what's gonna happen if you believe the sweet-talkers at the train station.

They gonna take your number and might call you on the spot to make sure that that IS your number, make an appointment with you to meet at their office. And climax of praises that's gonna be sang for you, is when you're finally at their office.

There they will have plenty of fashion magazines and plenty of newspaper cutouts, they are going to tell you all the great thing you will be if you sign up the package to be part of them. Then they'd talk about money. And if you're skeptical about paying, they'd pull out pictures of their models whom appeared on various media.

Assuming YOU ARE DUMB, becox you were already dumb enough to even go to their office, i can safely say you won't know which agencies the top models in Singapore are attached to. You won't know if they are even attached to any or if they are self-managed.

So the money-eater can tell you Rebecca Tan used to be managed by them, showing you pictures of Rebecca Tan on cover, print-ads, TVC screenshots etc. And you'd buy the story becox you know Rebecca Tan! Who doesn't! Even if you don't know her name, you must have seen her face somewhere.

And becox you're so doped on praises, you'd think that the guy who's been showering you with compliments for the past one hour, cannot be lying to you about such stuff. Somemore if he don't know her, why keep so many pictures of her, right!

I am quoting Rebecca Tan as example for a specific reason, will share why later.

Then you'd be convinced.
"If he can bring her up there, and he sees so much in me, i can make it too!"

NO YOU CANNOT.

Not becox you can't. It's becox he cannot bring you there. Becox you're in the wrong place. Becox you're too naive.

What's gonna happen next is, they gonna show you a list of packages. It will all differ by the number of images/ looks/ styles you gonna be photographed in, number of pictures, sizes of pictures, whether or not your 'comp card' and portfolio will appear in their office/ website respectively, whether or not you wanna sign up for their courses to modelling.

It can range from $288 - $2888 (the higher price range is usually what they call, ARTISTE price. Meaning if you pay the premium price, they gonna groom and market you as a model-artiste and pitch you for hosting/ singing/ acting gigs). These days the price might be a lot different, not sure.

Truth to be told, i used to buy these compliment. In fact, I BOUGHT it with $6 and $348 on two separate occasions.

I can mention names becox whatever i'm gonna write are just based on real-life account of what i encountered before. I have no idea if they have changed the way they work now, but this is what i went through when i was 17 turning 18. And the convo is obviously, to what i can remember best.

I was approached at the self-worthy area numerous times. And this one time, i started to believe that it could be true! Since so many times people have been approaching me, i must be really up to it, right?! So i agreed to go to the agency office for a talk.

My first encounter was with 我-models international. They are not "我-models" but i don't wanna get into trouble so you go figure out. They might be a better agency now, since i just went to check their website, and under "Projects", they do have some decent folio to show. So i am not saying anything about them NOW, i am talking about what happened about 6 years ago.

This is where i spoke with a guy, let's just call him Mr A.

He seemed REALLY nice, composed and professional. So it goes.

First phase, lasted 15mins, throw compliments at me like mad, like it's all free.

"Your features are very sharp and defined, photographers love to shoot this kind of faces the most."

"Wow, you are very tall. That's great we can put you in runway shows."

"Many girls are pretty but they don't have the X-factor. But you're different, you have this charisma that people will take notice of."

"Hang on, let me show you which model you remind me of"

HE TURNED BACK AND PULL OUT REBECCA TAN'S COVER on some wedding magazine.

"Do you know her?"

I said no but i've seen her on various ads.

"Yes, she's my friend. I wanted to get her onboard but she ah, tsk, go and sign with another agency before that. But she's keen, she wants to join us but you know, all the contract problem and all, very complicated. But we're working it out."

"Anyway your style and charisma is like hers, very quiet, very cool. You have this edge on your face when you don't smile and just sits there. But when you smile, it gives you another image. Very healthy, clean and approachable. I call that commercial value. And you have that."

OH REALLY?  WHY AM I BLOGGING NOW EARNING MY BUCKS INSTEAD? Lololol!!! Why am i not modelling?! Why am i blogging shit about you now??? MR A!!! Why??? ANSWER ME! WHY AM I NOT ON COVER PAGE?!?!?! Photographers like my face, no?!?! Lolol!

Anyway, A spent the next 30 mins trying to get me to pay a down payment of minimum $100 for a $288 (the lowest) package. He finally gave up when i say i only have $11 cash with me and my bank has no money becox my pay hasn't come in yet.

So GUESS WHAT? He didn't let me go! Of course he cao bin (show smelly-face) me after i make that confession but NO, he didn't let me go. He ask me how much can i pay if that's the case.

?!?!?!??!?!??! So hard up! So i had no choice but to do my calculation.

I figured out of $11, i need $2 to get home, $3 to have a meal if i don't order iced-milo.
I'd still have $6.

And for $6, i got a slip of receipt that states a balance of $282 if i ever choose to go back for the $288 package.

And i never went back, not becox i didn't want to be a top model, but i was just too paiseh to go back becox the last time i left, there was no smile on A's face. It was just.. That LJ bin, no smile, no approachable feelings. NOCOMMERCIAL VALUE. Lol.

So couple of months down, there's this day i feel hopeful, again.

I was 'scouted' at Ochard Road MRT by Create Talent and they got lucky. I bought their compliments and went to the office, signed a $288 package even after all the pushing for higher value packages.

Same thing here, they might be doing better now. But I DON'T CARE, i'm talking about back then.

And included in the $288 package i was supposed to have pictures for a glamour look and a casual look. I was told to prepare for my own outfit for casual look becox they want to showcase my REAL personality better. And turn out, the glamour look was a bridal gown -.-"

Before makeup, i was asked if i wanna use this ampoule-like thing, say it's for my face to absorb the makeup better, if not i will look cakey and yellow on the pictures. So obviously, i said, yes. AND IT COST $35.

No choice right? I already spent $288, i don't wanna look like a jaundice patient on the loose!!! Who would have knew they so fucked up, don't know photoshop??? I know about photoshop when i was 19, use it when i was 20 going 21. But that's becox i am a outsider! They are supposed to be professional in this line, CANNOT HELP ME PHOTOSHOP MEH?!

During makeup, i realise the lady who sold me the package was also the photographer -.-

Finally, i was asked if i wanna put on fake eye lash if not i'd look asleep and 沒有精神 (no energy) in the pictures.

So i said yes! Why would i want pictures of me looking lethargic?!

$25 for a pair, ONE PAIR, ONE okay, O, N, E, ONE.
ONE FUCKING PAIR of eyelashes for $25!!! Top quality, she said.

So all in all, i paid $348 for these lovely pictures. I DIDN'T PHOTOSHOP ANYTHING EXCEPT pulling back the colour to what it look like on the printouts.

This is the casual wear i was wearing that day.
Nb the $25 eyelashes didn't make me look more awake leh?!?!?

Hi, i am 17, but i look like 37 and have pointy hip bones.

Okay this one nothing to complain about since.. I got megawatt smile like naturally lol.
But she could have at least liquify my face.

Hi! I am a overseas bride for sale! SHIP ME OVER!!! =DDD
Stupid photographer don't even have the decency to tidy up my hair line.

Wish i weren't there..

THE "BAM, CONFIDENT LADY" pose.
Look at my fingers! I had babyfats!

And Create Talent only called me once for casting, that's after 9 months or so after the photoshoot, say it's for a sports branding. I went. Obviously didn't get the job.

One year plus touching two years after the call for the sports branding, they called again. I was actually a bit disturbed why they still have my number, does it mean they still have my pictures? OH NO. Lol. So i told them to please strike me out of their list. And don't have to call me for casting like this even thou it's only ONCE IN A FUCKING BLUE moon they call.

Actually i'm writing this becox i've got too many emails/ fb msg from random girls asking about whether i think they can be models cox a certain agency approached them. And when i ask them, which agency is that? It's always "我" or "Create Talent".

If that's not bad enough, my own friends call / text me before to ask about both "我" and "create talent". Just one month plus ago my guy friend say he was approached by Create Talent. He told me what they offer him seems very promising, but it's $800 plus that he has to pay. And my sister's friend, a 40 over year old lady, was approached too. And she was asked to pay $400 plus to join their database of talents and do up a basic portfolio for TV series, TVC and printads etc.

"HAHA", I just summed it up.

I'd always tell random girls what i think of these agencies, since they asked. But i'd also tell them to think of it the logical way.

Do you see big players like Diva, Phantom, Looque, Mannequin, Avenue, Carries etc, DO YOU SEE THEM HUNTING YOU DOWN on the street?

No. They are managing their resources in air-conditioned rooms.
And their resources are models and jobs. NOT models' own money.

But for the rest who pound on you like vultures at the MRT station, their resources is your money, and that's about all.

Think about it. ARE YOU REALLY THAT GOOD?

I don't mean anything else but a question.

ARE YOU REALLY THAT GOOD? If yes, go do up your folio with TFCD (please find decent ones) and approach reputable agencies to join them. From there you will get jobs if you are, like you think, good. Then you can update your portfolio with actual printads and editorial spreads in magazines! ^.^ JIAYOU!

If you're not that confident/ good-looking, you can still try! I do think previous modeling experience helped me a great deal in being more confident today. I also believe in making things happen. If you want it enough, you might just have it =)) Like me! I never know what was in store for me when i started blogging, but it turned out good! ^.^

You can be anything, but who are you going to do it with, and how are you getting there?

Tips for Looking to Hire Models

When you are looking to hire models for your modelling or advertising campaign there are a few tips you need to consider that will ensure you find the best model for the job.

1) The right price might not be the right model. When you are looking for a model for hire it is important that the price suits your budget. You should however insure that the price you pay for the model gives you the model with the skills you need. You can surely pay less for a less skilled person, but this will clearly show when you struggle with poses for your photo shoot or if the model simply cannot memorise the product info required.

2) Use a modeling agency Singapore. An agency might cost you more but you will be sure that you get the best person possible for the job. Agencies have the time and skills available to ensure that every portfolio suits and are true to the hire models they have available. By using a modelling agency you will also be able to ask the agency for a different model if the first one does not suit your requirements or does not perform up to par. Agency models are also better trained to do exactly what you require of them.

3) Timing is of the essence. Do not jump in and hire models two days before your promotion. Ensure that you hire them with enough time available to train and study the materials they need to study. By ensuring your models are properly trained you ensure that your campaign and promotional stint is a huge success.

4) Keep your main goal in mind. When you are looking at hire models you need to keep your main goal in mind. The best looking most expensive models might be detrimental to a campaign that has average looking customers in mind. You need to pick models that will boost the self-esteem of your customer and still create a sense of quality surrounding your product. Another aspect that walks hand in hand with the main goal is the location and products you wish to sell. Pretty girls will do well if your ROI is based on young men, but you need to keep in mind that some of those young men might be married or in relationships. By using pretty models your product image might be damaged if the hire models are the cause of a damaged or injured relationship.

5) Explain what you need. When dealing with an agency it is important that you give them a complete brief of exactly what type of models you need and what other skills you desire. By providing the company with a full brief you will be able to find hire models that will have your job in mind as their main focus area. Another great benefit of using modelling agencies are that they take care of the legal aspects involved in hiring models for both photographic and promotional purposes.

Home Health Care - Selecting The Right Agency

Hiring a caregiver to come into your home to care for a loved one can be a very scary prospect. The thought of leaving a vulnerable senior or disabled adult alone with a stranger can add extra stress to an already difficult situation. Selecting a person or model agency to provide these services takes research and time. There are really two ways to bring in home health care services, hire a person you find on your own, or work with a professional agency.

Nurses registries have been around since the civil war. In this model, an agency does all of the background work, such as interviews, criminal background checks, reference checks and any other checks they feel necessary. Once a candidate has been approved, the registry will refer them to the person in need. The caregiver is considered an independent contractor by the agency and not supervised directly by the agency. This is also called the consumer directed model as the consumer is the person in charge.

With the employee based model, the agency does a similar type of screening; however, instead of referring the caregiver to the consumer, the agency employs them.
Each model has its' pros and cons.
Pros of the registry model include

• Cost of the service is generally lower than agency model.
• Caregivers usually earn more, which tend to attract a higher quality of caregiver.
• Consumer is in total control. They decide what gets done, when it gets done and how it gets done. They decide if the caregiver stays on the job or needs to be replaced.

Cons of the registry model include:

• Person is not supervised by agency nurse.
• Caregiver is not covered by WC insurance.
• Family may be the employer and need to take out payroll taxes.

Pros of the agency model include:

• Caregivers are covered by workers comp and bonded by the agency.
• Caregivers are supervised by agency nurse.
• Agency is always the employer and deducts all appropriate taxes.

Cons of the agency model include:

• Cost tends to be higher.
• Caregivers do not earn as much as those on the registry side.
• Agency has control over when and where caregiver performs their duty. Agency can pull a caregiver if they need that person for a different case.

You will find supporters for both sides. It is up to you to decide which type of business is right for you. There are several professional resources which can also be helpful when doing your research.

How to Become a Hand Model?

So you have thought about becoming a hand model. You have long, straight, slender fingers with even cuticles and beautifully shaped nails. You have an even skin tone, free of blemishes and marks. Where can you go from here to see if you are capable of getting employed as a hand model?
The first step is to take pictures of your hands. Do not pay for expensive professional pictures just yet. Instead, enlist the help of a friend or family member to take pictures of your hands in a comfortable setting. To get ideas for the pictures, look on the internet at hand modeling images and try to imitate them without worrying too much about background, lighting, etc.

Once you have accumulated some pictures that you like with a variety of hand positions, look up quality modeling agency Singapore in your area. Even if the agency does not have a body parts modeling department to their agency, they may still be willing to take on a hand model if they believe they can find work for the hand model. Sometimes, this might even be to your advantage if you become the agency's "exclusive" hand model. Therefore, get in touch with all the quality agencies in your area.
If an agency agrees to sign you on as a hand model, generally at this time it is appropriate for the model to purchase professional pictures and sign a contract. However, it is extremely important that your agency is reputable because some agencies might have you pay for professional pictures in order to make money off you by selling them. Therefore, it is essential that you research the agency thoroughly especially before taking any professional pictures.

However, if you feel comfortable marketing yourself, you might be able to sidestep signing with an agency entirely. Currently, there is an increasing trend for hand models to create their own professional websites with pictures of their hands for potential employers. Hand models may market themselves as well by adding their information and pictures to popular model search websites, so that they can be contacted by potential employers. The benefit to marketing yourself as a model on the internet is that the hand model does not have to wait for jobs to come through their particular agency. They are exposed to many types of jobs over an ever larger area of employers.

However, if the hand model has no experience hand modeling, it is advisable that they first seek out an agency to see if they truly do have potential for hand modeling, even if they decide to side step the agency and market themselves on the internet. This is because agencies have a more refined view of what constitutes employable hands in the current industry, and agents may have a more critical or encouraging view of your potential.

How to Search Preteen Models Through Agencies?

You can search preteen models through agencies. As preteen modeling is becoming very much prevalent across the myriad of regions and nationalities around the world, there are very many children and their parents and guardians who want to venture in to the field. Why models of this category are in great demand today because consumer product companies churn out products catering to not only the needs but also the whims and fancies of children. Inevitably,these companies need child celebrities to endorse these products to the targeted segment.

In fact, many of the products we see in the market for children are not really need-based.By roping in child celebrities,needs are created in the mind of children who in turn make their parents buy the products for them. Thus, the need for preteen models is now on the increase. Portfolios of these models are published by leading modeling agency Singapore.Those who are in need of preteen models can search them through agencies.

Modeling agencies can be found at every main center. Aspiring models and those who are already in the field are often members of some reputed agencies. Some of these agencies are internationally reputed and have a good collection of modeling portfolios. Indeed, most of the models registered with them are nurtured by them and are offered assignments suitable to their talents and suitability. If you want to search preteen models or any other type of models like fashion models,preteen supermodels,teen models,etc. You can contact these modeling agencies.Some modeling agencies allow only their registered members to contact their member models.

There are online agencies who run websites and invite models and industry professionals to join them. In order to search models online through these websites, you may have to sign up with them as member. These websites publish online portfolios of models around the world. As the Internet has all-world presence,you can get models from the diversity of regional and racial identities specifically suited for your projects. First you can view the online portfolios of the models from your required geographic and ethnic group and can choose the ones befitting your project requirements and can contact them through the web portal.In case you are looking for models of a particular regional and racial identity, it would be better to search through sites operating primarily in that region.This is because this would facilitate the chance of meeting the models who would be often in the same region.

Become A Teenage Model - Understanding The Teen Modelling Industry

If you want to become a teenage model then you need to have a good understanding of the teen modelling industry before you make any firm decisions. The age parameters for teen modelling vary depending on the modeling agency Singapore, but as a rough guide, a teenage model will fall anywhere between 12 and 19 years of age. The usual modelling criteria and restrictions surrounding height, weight and build do not apply as strictly to teenage models as they do to adult models.

Specific requirements will depend entirely on the agency that you use. When you put yourself forward for a casting or audition however, you may find that the organisation offering the work may have a specific look or idea in their mind of the type of teenage model that they want to represent their product or service. The agency will ensure that you fit into any specified criteria for any jobs that they send you to.

There are several reasons for this more relaxed approach to a teenager's look; firstly of course, nobody can expect a child of say 13 to be 5' 8" tall. Also, the range of work available for teenage models varies hugely - you may be working on a catalogue shoot, modelling clothes and accessories, or you may be used as a teenage model for a commercial selling certain products, and if you're really lucky and very successful as a teenage model, you may even end up being signed to a high end agency where you could work on huge marketing campaigns for well-known brands. Another common type of work that is available to teenage models is being used for teen magazines, where they are looking for everyday-looking teenagers that represent their market audience.

Laws and Parental Support for Teenage Models
To work in the teen modelling industry, an aspiring teenager will need the support of their parents or legal guardian. While the emotional support a parent can offer is vital, perhaps even more essentially, they will need to invest a lot of their own personal time to take you to castings and auditions for teen modelling work. There are also legal requirements you need to be aware of - under the Child Licensing Law, any person under 16 years of age (or who is still in full time education) has to have a current license to work - there are also restrictions on the number of hours that under 16's are allowed to work for.

Freelance or Model Agency?
If you're sure that this career is definitely for you, then you will also need to think about whether you would prefer to go it alone as a freelance model, or have the support of a professional modelling agency. Freelance modelling is much tougher in many respects, as you will need to organise your own portfolio, auditions and castings and be responsible for every aspect of your career.
If you decide you will have a better chance of success as a teenage model by being affiliated with a modelling agency, take the time to check that the model agency you are considering is a reputable one. You also need to be aware that if you decide to work through a modelling agency, instead of keeping all of your hard earned money from your teen modelling jobs yourself, you will be expected to pay a commission of all earnings to your modelling agency. Even if you work with a modelling agency, you are still classed as self employed. This means that you will be responsible for keeping your own accounts and submitting any necessary paperwork or tax returns to HMRC. This is clearly another reason why a teenage model needs the support and help of their parents!

The Big Fat Myth Of Using Professional Photos To Break Into Fashion Modeling

If you have a photographer you've been working with, they will hate me for what I'm about to tell you. What are the requirements to be a model? Do you really need professional photos to impress an agency so they want to represent you? Do you think you need professional photos and fancy makeup to get discovered?

That is the biggest scam in the industry, mainly pushed by photographers and makeup artists that want your money. Look, go online and find any modeling agency Singapore where you live. I'm not talking about modeling agencies that find models for the local liquor store, the local restaurant, or the local nightclub when they have special events. Contact a modeling agency that has international and national clients. Ask them if they want professional photos. I guarantee you that 99% of them will say they only want basic photos with the girl wearing no makeup.

You can take these photos with your iPhone or basic digital camera. I know you don't believe me because photographers have been telling you differently. These basic photos will show your natural beauty and give the agency an opportunity to visualize and imagine what type of 'look' you can have if they represent you. Modeling agencies want to create your 'look' for you.

But, if you have on a bunch of makeup and a fancy hair style, you make it hard for the agency to imagine what you could become. They will not call you to ask you to redo your photos and make them basic. They get tons of photos everyday and will just throw yours in the trash and move onto photos that come to them in a natural form. Now, there is a certain way you must take these basic photos.

You must know what are the requirements to be a model so you can take the correct type of basic photos. If you follow this tip, you will save hundreds of dollars. Money you should not need to spend until after you get representation by an agency. At this point, the agency should advance you the fees for the photographs and you pay the agency back when you get your first assignment.

I've heard stories of young women spending thousands of dollars on professional photos. Getting rejected constantly, but then submitting some basic photos from their iPhone and getting hired by an agency almost immediately. You should also avoid paying "registration" or "consultation" fees to have some website to post your photos. Agencies get tons of photos each day. They don't need to go to some modeling website to look for models. You should cancel your subscriptions immediately.
What are the requirements to be a model? Well, take basic photos with little to no makeup. Give the modeling agency a chance to visualize your potential when they see your raw photos. Call the agency and learn about their basic requirements. If your don't meet their basic physical requirements, then ask them for a referral of an agency that might accept you.